Team USA Roster Problem for FIBA World Cup 2014: Frontcourt 'Depleted'

The FIBA World Cup 2014 will begin on August 30 but Team USA's roster is still incomplete even though the group is supposed to start training last Monday, Sports Illustrated reported.

Spell p-r-o-b-l-e-m, and that's what exactly is happening to America's representative to the international basketball competition, which happens every 4 years, just like the FIFA tournament. The FIBA World Cup is the "highest-profile international basketball tournament besides the Olympics."

A year ago, it was reported that Kevin Love and Kevin Durant pledged "to serve as the foundation for the program's FIBA World Cup roster." However, Love suddenly bowed out of the competition last week.

"Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski must prepare to face Spain in the World Cup, which will run from Aug. 30 to Sept. 14, without the roster they had hoped for or expected," SI said.

Bleacher Report noted that big names like Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony will not be participating in the tournament. Despite this, the news source said that this is not reason enough for Team USA to panic.

"Even without the trifecta of elite 4s in the running for the 12 spots on the Team USA roster, the Americans still have quite a few remaining frontcourt studs," the site observed. "Yes, the group of big men is quite depleted, but fortunately, depletion for the United States still leaves the country in a position that virtually every other nation involved would envy."

Jerry Colangelo, for his part, reportedly did not expect the Olympic medalist players to come out and play for the team.

"We can only offer an opportunity and then they can either accept or not. In (LaMarcus) Aldridge's case, this has happened a couple of times previously. But the bottom line is he advised us that he's not available," Colangelo was quoted as saying.

The incomplete roster has triggered a wave of speculations and predictions from sports pundits on who should be included in Team USA. Bleacher Report's Adam Romal, for one, put forward this list:

• Point guard: Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose, Damian Lillard

• Shooting guard: James Harden, Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan

• Small forward: Kevin Durant, Paul George, Chandler Parsons

• Power forward: Kenneth Faried

• Center: Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins

Meanwhile, the actual player pool, which consists of 19 men plus a number of players for the USA Select group, will be the base from which Colangelo will select 12 men for FIBA, as follows:

Player Pool

PG: Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Derrick Rose, John Wall

SG: Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Klay Thompson

SF: Kevin Durant, Paul George, Gordon Hayward, Kyle Korver, Chandler Parsons

PF: Anthony Davis, Kenneth Faried, Paul Millsap

C: DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond

USA Select

PG: Trey Burke, Marcus Smart

SG: Tim Hardaway Jr., Victor Oladipo, Dion Waiters

SF: Harrison Barnes, Tobias Harris, Doug McDermott

PF: Draymond Green, Cody Zeller

C: Mason Plumlee, Miles Plumlee

Will Team USA capture the FIBA crown? Tell us what you think and post your comments below!